Dredging-scraper



(No Model.)

J. C. COULT.

DREDGING SCRAPBR.

No. 416,999. I Patented Dec. 10, 1889.

N. PETERS, Pnomuumgmpher, wnsmngmn. u. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH C. COULT, OF CROCKETT, TEXAS.

DREDGlNG-SCRAPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 416,999, dated December 10, 1889.

Application filed September 28, 1889.` Serial No. 325,340. (No model.) i

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH C. COULT, of Crockett, in the county of Houston and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Devices for Clearing the Channels of Rivers and other VVater-Oourses, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention has for its object the production of a marine plow which shall serve to raise and remove obstructions and accumutions from the beds or channels of rivers, bays, harbors, and other water-courses; and the invention consists in a device for this purpose of novel construction, substantially as hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims. The plow, which is to be drawn over the bed of the water-course to be cleared-as, for instance, by drag chain or cable attached to a steamboat-operates to raise afew inches in depth of the deposit each time it passes over the bed or bottom of the water-course to be cleared or deepened, and so that the loosened or raised deposit will be washed out with the current of the water-course.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l represents a top view or plan of a marine plow embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse section thereof upon the line x x in Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a plan view showing a modified construction of the plow.

My submarine plow differs in many essential respects from an ordinary land-plow to adapt it. for operation under water for the purpose hereinbefore named, as it is drawn by a steamboat, to which it is attached, over the bottom of the channel of the river or other water-course to be cleared.

Referring in the first instance, or more particularly to Figs. l, 2, and 3 of the drawings, A is what may be termed the beam of the plow, and which consists of a platform or bed of any desired dimensions, made of boileriron or other suitable material, supported on and made fast to bars of metal B, along either side of the plow. Another set of bars B', similar to the bed-set B, are bolted to the under sides of the latter, to be removed when worn out by abrasion and to be replaced by others. In like manner the bed A may be re-enforced by duplicate lower plates A', for the better protection of the bed and having transverse openings through them corresponding with the openings c; but this duplication of the bars and bed-plates is not absolutely essential, and it will suffice in explainingthe invention to refer to the bed A, with its side bars, as a single structure. This bed or beam of the plow is intended, when the plow is in use, to rest upon the top of -the deposit to be loosened and cleared.

up to prevent it digging into the sand or deposit when in motion. Ata suitable distance in rear of this front end bsay at a distance of two feet (more or less) therefrom-an opening c, parallel with said front end, is made in and through the bed, extending nearly across the latter, or from side bar to side bar, and of any suitable wid th, but preferably about twelve inches wide. There may be any number of these openings c-that is, one or more, two here being shown-made in the bed, the same, when more than one, being arranged at suitable distances apart, one in rear of the other. To the back edge of each of these openings c the plowshareC is fastened, the same extending the full length of the twelve inches, more or less-and set at an angle to the bed of preferably forty-live degrees, inclining forward in a downward direction below the platform-like bed or beam. In rear of each of these openings c, and mounted on the bed, extending across the latter, and, if desired, beyond either side thereof, is a mold-board I), of metal or other suitable material. In Figs. l, 2, and 3 of the drawings this mold-board is represented as made not only angling backward in an upward direction, but also laterally in a backward direction from the longitudinal center of the bed, or, in other words, of V shape, with the apex of such figure starting from the rear edge of the opening c. This shape and disposition of the mold-board is intended to deliver the dbris cast up through the opening c by the share (l at or beyond the two sides of the plow, and each mold-board opening and being of a suitable width-sayv The front end b of said bedis bent or turned l IOO may have an overlranging front ledge d to stien it and to aid in directing the discharge of the debris. The shape and arrangement of the mold-board in rear of the opening c, however, may be varied according to the direction in which it is required to deliver the dbris. Thus it might be set simply straight across the bed, angling upward merely in a backward direction, as shown in Fig. 4, and so as to deliver the cast-up dbris over it and to the one side of the plow by angling the whole plow laterally. In this latter case two cables S S at' or near opposite sides of the plow will be required to connect it with the steamer used to haul the plow, one of said cables being lengthened and the other being shortened to angle the whole plow, as required. The debris thus delivered wholly at one side of the plow will always pass off on the side which is favorable to its being washed or carried out with the current. In most or all other operations' and arrangements, however, including the arrangement shown in Fig. l, then but a single cable S, drawing from the center of the plow, is necessary.

If it is desired to lighten the weight of the plow when under water, an air-tightl compartment G may be applied to the plow, preferal bly at the back of each mold-board, as shown in Fig. 2.

The operation is as follows: When the plow is lowered from the stern of the steamboat used to haulit, and touches the bottom of the river channel or other water course, the steamer is put in slow motion. This will draw the front end of the plow forward and canse it to rest upon the sand or other bottom of the water-course in a suitable position. The cable or cables drawing the plow will be let out more or less, according to the depth ofthe water, and will assume an angle of, say, forty-five degrees. The plow beam or bed will move on and be drawn over the top of the deposit forming the bottom of the water-course, and the share or shares of the plow be made to dig or project into the deposit and force it upward, so as to come in contact with the mold-board or mold-boards, which will cause it to be separated and forced from the bed to mingle with and be carried forward by the passing current.

In case the plow should encounter an obstruction-such as a river snag-a buoy may be attached by a chain to the rear end of the plow, thereby liberating the plow without delay.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent l. A submarine plow for raising and remov- 6r ing obstructions on the bottoms of the channels of rivers and other water-courses, consisting of a platform-like beam or bed having one or more transverse openings through it for passage of the debris, one or more angling shares along the rear marginal portions of said openings and projecting below the beam or bed, and one or more mold-boards mounted on the beam or bed and extending across the same in rear of said opening or openings, substantially as specified.

2. In a submarine plow, the platform-like beam or bed A, having one or more transverse openings o through it, and bent or turned up in front, as at b, in combination with the side bars B, supporting said bed from beneath, and forming part ot it, one or lnore shares C, inclining forward in a downward direction below the beam or bed from the rear marginal side of said opening or openings, and one or more transverse moldboards D in rear of the latter and mounted on or over the beam or bed, essentially as herein described, and for the purposes set forth. Y n

3. In a submarine plow for operation as described, the combination,with the platformlike beam or bed A, having one or more transverse escape-openings c for the debris in or through it, and longitudinal lower side bars B, of the supplemental longitudinal side bars B', secured to andbeneath the bars B, andthe supplemental plate-like bed A', secured to the under side of the bedy or beam A, and having transverse openings through it corresponding with, the openings c, essentially as described. v

4. In a submarine plow constructed for operation as described, the combination, with the platform-like and transversely-slotted beam or bed of the plow, its share or shares, and mold-board or mold-boards, of ,one or more air-compartments connected with the beam or bed, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

JOSEPH C. COULT.

Witnesses: I

Il. H. C. EICHELBERGER, I. W. MCGILL.

IOC 

